A novel which moves back and forth in time through the centuries, from contemporary New Orleans to the 17th century world of Marseilles, from the coffee plantations of Port au Prince to Civil War New Orleans. The author has previously written "Vampire Chronicles".

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

THE WITCHING HOUR is a long book. When you open it, you wonder how you will ever reach the end. However I would definitely not let a little thing like that put you off.Yes, the book does meander. There is a leisurely, atmospheric introduction before we are introduced to the main characters. A good 200-300 pages in the middle contains a potted history of the Mayfair family. Such abrupt shifts of focus seem jarring at times, as if the author is finding her way. Yet it is precisely in these passages that some of her most brilliant writing occurs.As a fan of the Vampire Chronicles, I have always thought that Rice is at her best when evoking Gothic historical scenes of high melodrama. However this book showcases some of her other talents. The lengthy passage which introduces Michael Curry is simply incredible. It manages to sum up the entire life of one man - an extraordinary feat of the imagination. The central story of epic history of the Mayfair Witches with its Faulkner-esque intrigues and incestuousness was also spellbinding. These instances of world-building were for me, the highlights of the book.The sheer quality of Rice's writing shines throughout. The description of the New Orleans Garden Distict is striking in its detail. Her ability to handle so many characters, each one utterly credible, creates a rich world filled with believable people. The gathering of the Mayfair clan was a standout example of realistic writing.If the book has a weakness, it's that some of the modern-day scenes early on seem a little hard to swallow, especially the dialogue. When a rich neurosurgeon meets a rich propery developer we would be forgiven for wondering if we have strayed into some TV soap opera. Also, sometimes the erotic passages went a little too far for me.Read more ›

I loved the Vampires (at least up to Body Thief) and adored the Mummy, but I think Witching Hour is her best. The HUGE book is absolutely compelling from beginning to end. The Book moves from Modern day story of a young woman, the end product of centuries of witches that are under control of "the Man" called Lasher( because he could make the trees lash when he was angry) into the past of her ancestors. Each generation of the "Mayfair Witches" there was a chosen female that 'inherited' the man, and he brought power, he brought madness.The book leisurely details the woman's modern day life, returning to New Orleans for the funeral of her mother, the base of the family of witches male and female, and comes to terms with her heritage, Lasher and a destiny plotted for her leading to a horrific coming: bring Lasher into this world. We see a lot of the tale through the eyes of the people around this family, as the agent for the Talamasca (seen in the Vampire Cycle), the watchers and recorders of witches and vampires, collect the tales on the family.It is a leisurely paced book, that brings one into mind of New Orleans' slower pace, but it's spellbinding, haunting, deceptively mesmerising. When she moves the tale of the Mayfair witches into the past and traces each generation of witch from early Scotland on, she is breathtaking. Rice uses ancient Scots lore and gives it a new life in her evocative, provoking tale that will keep you hypnotised as few works do.Don't think she was better before or since. It's simply a master piece. Followed up with Lasher, Taltos and Merrick.

This is a wonderful book. The depth and richness that Anne Rice places into the narrative are amazing. You can almost see, touch and smell New Orleans.The book within a book concept that is used within the novel to detail the lure of the Mayfair family with the spirit that gives them their witchcraft is wonderful showing with great care the advantages and disasters this brings to each generation of the family.In my honest opinion this and the follow up books in the trilogy are better then the vampire books that I am also a fan of.

I have always been a fan of Anne Rice so when I was told that this was a good read I said I would give it a go.It is about a family of witches, The Mayfair Witches, and I never thought that I would never like it as much as the Vampire Chronicles but I was wrong!! It kept me engrossed from start to finish, the only bad thing I could say about this book is that even though I kept reading and reading I thought that I would never get to the end (its got over a thousand pages!) That being said I really did not want the end to come. I loved it so much that the day after I had finished it I went straight online and ordered the next 2 books in the series - Lasher and Taltos.If you like Anne Rice then I can safely say that you will really enjoy this book, it is everything I expect from her!Again it is a brilliant book if I could have given it more then 5 stars I would have!BUY IT!!!

This book was looooong and it took me an age to read, but it was worth it. I love Anne Rice's books and have read all I can lay my hands on. This one is so detailed, i could play it like a film in my head and see everything so clearly, nothing was left to the imagination to make up. The Mayfair family and Lasher, the witch loving ghost are still haunting me and are insisting I read 'Lasher' as soon as I can.